Breast Cancer Network Australia
Case for Support 2024
Case study: Kansas’ breast cancer diagnosis
Our goal: Connect with local communities to raise awareness and support
Kansas was watching the Pink Lady Match which prompted her to get a lump checked and led to her breast cancer diagnosis. At just 24 years old, Kansas was enjoying the start to her career as a social worker and was on the verge of beginning her Masters degree. “It was a complete shock as I don't have any family history of breast cancer, nor did I have any of the gene mutations,” Kansas says. While Kansas was a regular self-checker thanks to breast cancer awareness campaigns, when she identified a lump in February 2021, she decided just to “keep an eye on it”. “About a week later I tore my ACL and I completely forgot about it until August, when I watched Breast Cancer Network Australia’s AFL Pink Lady Match and remembered the lump,” she says. By this time the lump had grown significantly, so Kansas made an immediate appointment with her GP, who listened and sent her for immediate testing. Following an ultrasound and biopsy, Kansas was diagnosed with breast cancer. “I didn't have anything to compare it to other than what I had seen in movies and, at that point, I thought the worst,” says Kansas. “I was really scared about how long I had left the lump and disappointed in myself as well.” In February 2022 Kansas began six rounds of chemotherapy, followed by a lumpectomy and lymph node removal. She underwent 15 rounds of radiation and continuous Herceptin for 12 months, with her treatment finishing in September that year. Currently, Kansas receives a Zoladex injection monthly to protect her ovaries and manage her hormones, and will be taking Tamoxifen daily for another 5-7 years due to her age.
“Chemotherapy was not the nicest thing I have done, but I was lucky in that being young meant I dealt with side effects relatively well,” Kansas says. “I was still able to work and exercise lightly throughout and having had a lumpectomy meant less recovery time than there would be for a mastectomy.” Having been through this journey at 24 years old, there is one message Kansas wants to share with anyone who believes they are too young for a breast cancer diagnosis. “I want to advocate for younger women to be able to get checked earlier and not be dismissed because of their age or because there is no family history,” she says. “If you feel there is something wrong with your body then trust that instinct – you should be able to access the appropriate testing – so always keep advocating for yourself!” While being diagnosed with breast cancer in her 20s was never something Kansas could have imagined, it has given her a new and powerful philosophy on life. “Life is short, so I am grateful to see a sunrise or a sunset, taking the time to listen to people, and just to appreciate how beautiful life really is,” she says. “I have had to learn to manage myself in ways I never imagined – and through situations and feelings I didn't think I would have to – but I am really proud of how I held myself, still smiling, still going to work to support families and young people.”
To support the success of local fundraisers, BCNA provides free support kits and digital tools to all registered event hosts to help them plan, promote and deliver their event. Our high-profile major events highlight our sporting and charity partnerships, such as the Pink Lady AFL match and Carman's Fun Run. These events are a key part of our public awareness campaigns about breast cancer and can have a lifesaving impact for someone who has not yet been diagnosed or who needs support. How your investment can help To grow our impact, we are planning to expand our community events in 2025. We also want to bolster our corporate partnerships to raise the profile of BCNA and our work. We want to strengthen community connections and encourage more local fundraisers by continuing to provide BCNA supporters with kits, wherever they live across Australia. The cost of delivery to remote, regional, and rural areas can be cost prohibitive for both the host and for BCNA, so sponsorship would enable BCNA to redirect those funds to other emerging priorities and its information resources.
Our community events program serves a vital role by offering safe spaces for connection and opportunities for the wider community to actively demonstrate support for those with a diagnosis. These events raise awareness about breast cancer and the importance of early detection, while also generating valuable funds so that we can continue to deliver our free resources and support. Our community fundraising programs encompass over 2,000 events across the country each year. They empower individuals, businesses, sporting organisations, schools and community groups to acknowledge those affected in their communities, get involved and fundraise to support BCNA, whether that is through hosting a morning tea, running a marathon or hosting a Pink Sports Day with their local sporting club. These events also offer an important grassroots opportunity to promote greater awareness about breast cancer, including the importance of early detection and screening.
Investment opportunity: $110,000
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